I was a study group at Mount Olivet last month in reading The Cross and The Lynching Tree by James Cone. It’s been said that this book is the capstone of Cone’s work. Prior to this reading group, I had not read The Cross and The Lynching Tree. I knew of Cone’s work. I had read Cone’s work in seminary.

I was not prepared for how much The Cross and The Lynching Tree would touch me. I love systematic theology. Systematic Theology was my favorite class at Wesley Theological Seminary (shout out to Dr. Kendal Soulen). I love studying atonement theory. But what I understood of the cross was limited and as I read Cone’s work I wanted to read more, consider more, and write more.

This is a book that should be required reading for all Christians, especially Christians living in the United States in 2020.

The study group I led was inadequate in studying such a book. I imagine this is the case in most predominately white congregations led by white (male) clergy. This has more to do with the way in which the church remains segregated and less with the people (or leader) in this group.

Shortly before we began this study at Mount Olivet the Crackers and Grape Juice team hosted a Thursday evening virtual pub theology with Malcolm Foley. Malcolm is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in Baylor’s Department of Religion, studying the history of Christianity. His dissertation investigates African-American Christian responses to lynching from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. Malcolm earned a BA in religious studies with a second major in finance and a minor in classics from Washington University in St. Louis. He subsequently completed a Master of Divinity at Yale Divinity School, focusing on the theology of the early and medieval church. During his time there, he served Trinity Baptist Church in New Haven as a pastoral intern. He is currently the Director of Discipleship at Mosaic Waco in Waco, TX.

Talking with Malcolm is what inspired me to lead this study at Mount Olivet.

After the Thursday evening conversation with Malcolm, I was convinced Crackers and Grape Juice needed to host another conversation with Malcolm, this time focused on Cone’s work.

Beginning Monday evening and continuing over six weeks the podcast will be joined by Malcolm Foley to discuss The Cross and The Lynching Tree. I want you to join us. Honestly, you need to join us.

Here are the details and how to register: